A Small Christmas Present
by Daktasinsanity
Summary: No one else had gotten him anything. The only one who remembered or cared had been Eren. He replayed what Eren had said to him when he received the package and those words had been odd. What could possibly be inside?


**A Small Christmas Present**

Levi hated Christmas. It was stupid. All other people were excited, singing songs, wrapping and opening presents, drinking themselves silly. Christmas was an excuse to buy fancy gifts and really bad ones too. Levi had not really cared about Christmas since he was a kid. His mother had always gotten him something. The problem was that she always tagged the gift both as a Christmas present and a birthday gift.

But being a good boy he had never complained. She had gotten him something at least. Money had been scarce and she was working most of the time, leaving him home alone. He respected her for doing what she could. He had never known his father and only time he had asked had brought his mother to tears. He never asked after that.

But now he was nearing his forties, his mother long gone and he was stuck in a stupid Christmas party set up by his co-workers. They danced around merrily, drinking, laughing and telling bad jokes. The atmosphere was peaceful even if people were cheerful and in a party mode. Everyone knew that Christmas was about peace and love or some other shit like that. It was almost an unwritten rule to behave and not cause trouble. Other holidays and parties were meant for that sort of thing, not Christmas.

Levi sat on a couch in the living room of their head of department, Erwin Smith. The man was a natural leader and well-respected. Women of other departments came into theirs to swoon over the man. Most of the women in their own department had gotten over the phase of being love-struck by the good looks of Erwin. Levi knew there was going to be some serious gossiping after Christmas about if someone had won over Erwin heart or not. Not like he cared.

Levi's own focus was more on the younger side of their department. He sighed disappointed by the fact that he could not just go over there. Over there being a small group of young people who had been working with him a few years. One in particular had caught his eye and he had developed a crush on the young man. Not in million years would he admit it out loud. He allowed himself to let him eyes wander some times over to the mob of brown hair and green eyes.

How unfortunate for him that the young man called Eren was most probably in a relationship with a young woman, called Mikasa. Levi saw the way she looked at Eren and there was no doubt about it, she was in love. Levi had seen Eren leave and come in to work with her more than once and thus he drew a conclusion that there must be something more than just a friendship between them.

His heart sank each time he thought about it. He would never get a chance with Eren, no matter how much he wanted to. Levi knew that berating himself would get him nowhere but he could not help it. The small identity inside his head, called self-doubt, reared its ugly head and whispered nasty things into his ear.

_Why would he even like you? You hardly even speak to him. All the time you tell him how stupid he is. You should be happy he takes it with a smile on his face, never saying anything similar back. Eren knows how disgusting you are, lusting after a young man like him. You are disgusting and selfish. How dare you even think about confessing to him?_

Levi had thought about it. He wanted to come clean. Sometimes he fantasized how he would drag the young man into the copy room, tell him that he liked him and Eren would say the same and then they would live happily ever after. Levi cursed under his breath, looking down on his half empty glass. There was no such thing as a fairytale coming his way. Never.

He felt a tap on his shoulder and he looked up to see the man he had been thinking about. Levi coughed once as if it helped him to hide his thoughts.

"You look ready to kill someone," Eren said, sitting next to him on the edge of the couch.

Levi turned his face towards Eren, looking into the serene but sparkling green eyes. "I'm tired, that's all."

Eren regarded him for a few seconds with a thoughtful gaze. "Do you mind coming with me for a second? I have something for you."

_For me?_ His mind went wild. It was probably nothing just a Christmas present or something. Eren was known to be one of the most generous of people Levi had ever known and that was saying something. Eren left small notes on Levi's desk all the time, reminding him of things he would have otherwise forgotten. Sometimes he found a small box of chocolate inside his drawer without a note but he knew it was Eren who put it there. The young man knew he liked dark chocolate the best.

As they walked towards what appeared to be the entrance hall, Levi took his chance to stare at the back of Eren's head. His hair looked clean and soft to touch. Levi wanted to reach over and run his fingers through it, messing the mob completely. They reached the coat hangers and Eren reached for his bag, taking out a small package. A Christmas present for sure, as he had thought, Levi almost smiled.

Eren turned to him, holding out the present. "I thought that I should get you something. It being a special day and all."

Levi wanted to grimace at the young man. Christmas was not that important, he thought and said it out loud too.

Eren shook his head. "No, it's not a Christmas present. Happy Birthday, Levi."

He left Levi speechless with a dazzling smile and a wink.

"I hope you enjoy it. If you want help using it, call me," Eren said, leaving Levi in the entrance hall after touching briefly his shoulder.

Levi looked after him but Eren did not glance back as he rejoined his friends at the far side of the living room. Levi stuck the small gift into his jacket pocket, resolving to open it when he was at home.

Rest of the evening was uneventful and Levi went home early. He didn't feel like staying up late, watching other people getting more drunk than was necessary.

He changed into more comfortable clothes and sat on the edge of his bed with the small gift in his hands. No one else had gotten him anything. The only one who remembered or cared had been Eren. He replayed what Eren had said to him when he received the package and those words had been odd. What could possibly be inside that he would want help with?

He slowly unwrapped the gift an gasped, letting the little box fall on the floor. That damn bastard, this had to be a joke! Mortified he stared at the box at his feet for several minutes. Everything he knew about Eren suddenly became irrelevant. No, the young man would not joke about something like this.

He picked up the box, turning it in his hands as curiosity won him over. Levi started to laugh, not sure if he was losing his mind. Maybe this was all a dream and he was not holding a box containing a cock ring in his hands. One that he received from Eren as a birthday gift. Eren, who offered his help with using it.

Biting his lip, Levi made a decision. A phone call to Eren was in order. Maybe Christmas was not so bad after all.


End file.
